Canning Rabbits

[DAVIDC]

I was wondering if someone could give me step by step directions for canning rabbits. I am not gonna use a pressure cooker so I need to know how to can them without one.

Thanks in advance,
David

[Cannon Hollow Hounds]

We use a presure canner. But we use to do a lot of venison the old fashioned (hot water bath) way. To start with, be sure all your jars are free of cracks or chips especially on top of the rim so they will seal good.Clean and sterilize (boil) your jars and lids.Then pack your well cleaned rabbits in jars as tight as you can pack them. Cut them up in pieces first. Hind legs, front legs.With the body we take a pair of them game sissors and cut the ribs off up to where the back straps start and throw the ribs away. After you have your jars packed, put a teaspoon of canning salt in each one and skrew on your lids good and tight.You can also add a couple toes of garlic or some onion or any other spice that you like before you put lids on.Then set your jars in one of those wire baskets that hold 6 or 7 ? Qt. jars and lower them into a pot of boiling water. With venison this process took about 4 hours of cooking but I imagine rabbit will take less time. It will make its own juices as it cooks. once it's done take it off fire and let cool on its own. You will hear the lids popping as they cool hopefully. This means that they are sealing. Once they're cooled you can press on top of the lids to see if they all sealed. If you press on one and it pushes down, that means that it didn't seal. Any that don't seal are still ok to eat, you just can't store them. Eat them up soon so they don't spoil. The ones that seal ( all of them we hope) can be stored on the shelf for a long time. We've had them for over a year lots of times and they're still perfect when you open them. Hope this helps. Good luck, CHH

[Valpoguy]

You look the little rascal directly in the eye and state firmly - "rabbit, - you're fired!"

[Cannon Hollow Hounds]

DAVIDC..let me know how you make out. CHH

[DAVIDC]

Cannon Hollow, Thanks for the help. I had seen vegetables canned before but never meat. I was'nt sure exactly how you went about canning meat. I canned 3 quart jars and they seem to of come out ok. I cooked them for about 4 hours. After I took them out I only heard one jar pop (seal). I guess the other two may of sealed themselves while I was cooking them, whatever the case all three jars were sealed. I put a toe of garlic in one I'm gonna see how that turns out. Its a little extra work but I believe they will taste better than frozen rabbits in the long run.

David

[tommyg]

We can Rabbits without a pressure canner,we boil them 4 hrs then when you take em out the lids NEED to pop. If not go ahead and open the jar and eat them. This is from the wife and she knows what shes doing.